The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is reportedly investigating the deaths of 18 monkeys at the Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center — the same facility in South Carolina that saw more than 40 monkeys escape into the wild through an unsecured door earlier this month.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) sounded the alarm in its latest complaint against Alpha Genesis earlier this week, saying they had received anonymous reports that 18 or more monkeys had died after a problem with heating equipment in one of the facility’s buildings. .
“Alpha Genesis’ hands are once again stained with blood,” PETA wrote in a statement, saying they believe… There may be a malfunction in the diesel heater At the facility and led to the death of several long-tailed macaques.
“There were no alarms, and there were no alerts, as the 18 long-tailed macaques likely suffered a traumatic death – either They are slowly roasted alive or suffocated by deadly carbon dioxide fumesThe statement continued, describing the alleged incident as “not an accident – it is a fatal pattern.”
Global News has reached out to Alpha Genesis for comment on the complaint but has not yet received a response.
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The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed to ABC News 4 that it is “aware of this situation and is following standard response protocols,” but He did not confirm the authenticity of the report.
In a follow-up email, management told News 4: “At this time, here is what I can offer. I can confirm that we have recently received a complaint with some detailed allegations and that we are reviewing it to determine if there are instances of non-compliance with the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) that we need to pursue.
Alpha Genesis is already under scrutiny after 43 rhesus macaques escaped from their center in Yemassee, S.C., earlier this month. While the majority of the monkeys were eventually captured, four are still at large.
Rep. Nancy Masse, whose district covers the facility, I launched an investigation After escaping, Queen City News reported.
“For years, Alpha Genesis has collected federal contracts and taxpayer dollars while continually violating animal welfare laws and exposing the public to dangerous escapes,” Mays said. “The National Institutes of Health and USDA need to step up and ensure that South Carolinians do not bear the risk of this laboratory being neglected.”
In its statement, PETA called on the US Department of Agriculture to do so Cut funding From the Alpha of Genesis.
According to Fox Carolina, since January 2023, all of Alpha Genesis’ USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reports have been inspected. Free from non-compliance incidents. However, inspection reports in 2022 found a baby monkey had been strangled with gauze, as well as multiple deaths of monkeys, said to be caused by injuries from other primates after they were returned to the wrong cage or came into contact via a broken cage.
Alpha Genesis, according to its website, breeds monkeys and primates and provides “nonhuman primate products and bioresearch services,” including plasma, serum, tissue samples and whole blood.
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